D/FW Area Players to Watch for 2009-2010 Season

This year in the D/FW Area, they will be 4 main players that I know of right now that I'm going to follow this season and provide updates throughout the season on how their doing.

Austin Smith

Back in the 2007 NHL Draft, he was the 1st Dallas Area player to be selected by the Dallas Stars which was taken midway through the NHL Draft. He's start playing his 2nd season for Colgate University which is located in Upstate New York. Despite a less then stellar season for the Colgate Raiders, Austin Smith still had a strong season by scoring 17 goals and coming up with 14 assists in 37 games last season.

To find out more info on Smith and the Colgate Raiders: www.gocolgateraiders.com/index.aspx?path=mhock

Chris Brown

Entering his first season with Wolverines, he's the first player from Texas ever to make the Michigan roster as the Wolverines are looking forward to start the season on October 3 with a couple of preseason games against the USNTDP U18 Team and then the next day, a huge challenge with the defending OHL and Memorial Cup Champion Windsor Spitfires. Prior to being drafted by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2nd round of the NHL Draft back in June.

For more info on the Michigan Wolverines: www.mgoblue.com

Colin Jacobs

Jacobs is the newest player on the radar this season, the 16 year old is playing his first full season for the WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds where he's expected to play a big role in the teams offense. The 16 year old saw some time for the T-Birds near the end of last year by playing a couple of games near the end of the regular season and some time in the playoffs before they were eliminated in the Western Conference Quarterfinal against the Spokane Chiefs where did score 2 goals in those games.

Over the weekend in the WHL Opening weekend, the T-Birds played 3 games where they went 1-2 with a 4-3 win over the Everett Silvertips, then 2 losses against a Portland Winterhawks team that's looking to make a big jump after being down for the last couple of years where they lost 5-0, then on Sunday night, a 4-2 loss in Vancouver against the Vancouver Giants.

As for Jacobs last weekend, he scored 2 goals and added 2 assists in the 3 games. In addition to his scoring ability, he's also looking to use his 6'2" 194 lb frame to start bringing some physical aspects to the game.

To see more info on the Western Hockey League and the Seattle Thunderbirds.

Log on to these websites: www.whl.ca www.seattlethunderbirds.com

Nick Lazorko

For the Winkler Flyers Forward, this will most likely be as final season for the Flyers as he approaching his 2o year old season. During his 2 seasons in Winkler, Manitoba, he's been very strong scoring threat by putting in a very impressive 159 points in his 2 previous seasons. (84 G, 75 A) during the regular season, during the playoffs in 10 games last year, he was able to score twice and add 8 assists during the teams playoff run before losing to the Selkirk Steelers in 6 games during the league Quarterfinals, who later got to the MJHL Championship before losing to the Portage Terriers for the MJHL Championship.

During the first 4 games of the Winkler Flyers season, Lazorko has 1 goal and 3 assists. He scored his 1st goal of the season during the Flyers home opener against the Winnipeg Saints back on September 18.

For more on the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and the Winkler Flyers.

Manitoba Junior Hockey League: www.mjhlhockey.ca

Winkler Flyers: www.winklerflyers.com